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T GORDON LIFE PRBSERVER.

Patented Dec. 1, 1896'.

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v LIFE PRESBRVER.

Patented Dec 1, 1896.

///J ATTORNEY THE uonms-wzrzks '00.. Photo-union wnsmncrm u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS GORDON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LlFE-PRESERVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 572,109, dated December1, 1896.

Application filed November 21,1892. Serial No. 452,682. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS GORDON, of New York, county and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Improvement in LifePreservers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to life-preservers designed to be worn by aperson in the water to keep such person afloat; and it consists of aninflatable part or parts having communication with a chamber suppliedwith compressed air or gas and with means for releasing the compressedair or gas automatically or otherwise and allowing it to enter theinflatable part or parts.

I will describe a life-preserver embodying my improvement and then pointout the novel features in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, partly insection, of a lifepreserver embodying myimprovement. Fig. 2-is a partialsection and a partial top view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionof a modification. Fig. 4: is a plan view of said modification with thecover removed.

Referring by letter first to Figs. 1 and 2, A designates a chamber orreservoir for containing compressed air or gas. It is here shown asconsisting of several sections or tubes, preferably of steel, closed atthe ends and having communication one-with another through ports a.

B designates inflatable parts, which may be made of rubber or similarmaterial. The part or parts B may be secured to the chamber or reservoirA by means of flexible straps a, and they may have communication onewith the other through a flexible tube (L or the part B may surround theperson as one continuous chamber. One of these parts B communicates withthe chamber or reservoir A through a tube a provided with a valve A. Thetube a may consist of two parts joined together by a coupling a", sothat the said parts may be disconnected for the purpose of filling thechamber or reservoir A with the compressed air or gas.

I provide means for automatically opening the valve A to allow theescape of compressed air or gas to the parts B. In Figs. 1 and 2 thismeans consists of a spring A and a plug A soluble in water. I find thatloafsugar or similar material will answer the purpose of a soluble plug.A valve A has a lever A extending from it. A spring A bears at one endagainst the end of this lever A and at the other end against a lug 1),extended from the outer side of the chamber or reservoir A. The solubleplug A bears at one end against the opposite side of the lever A and atthe other end against a lug b, 7

extended from the outer side of the chamber or reservoir A. While in theposition described, and as shown in Fig. 1, the soluble plug A will holdthe Valve closed against the pressure of the compressed spring A butupon submerging the life-preserver in water the plug A will be quicklydissolved, allowing the spring A to expand and open the valve A, thusallowing the passage of compressed air or gas from the chamber orreservoir A to the part B. A shield b may be attached, as shown in Fig.2, to protect the valve and its parts from being disturbed by contactwith the person of the wearer or otherwise. In this device it is obviousthat the spring and soluble part may be dispensed with and the valveoperated by the wearer, and when so arranged is applicable for the useof those who Wish to enter the water by diving.

The life-preserver may be provided with straps to secure it to the bodyof a person in the usual manner, or it may form part of a garment, theinflatable part being suitably arranged so as to raise and support thehead of the wearer above the surface of the water when inflated.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, which show a device for use of bathersor persons learning to swim, (J designates achamber for compressed air,made in the form of a hollow ring. This compressed-air chamber 0 is bypreference supported by a casing C, which forms an air-chamber below thecompressedair chamber 0 and serves to keep or assist in keeping thedevice afloat in the water similar to a buoy. When the casing G is usedin connection with the compressed-air chamber 0, as shown, they willhave an air and watertight connection-one with the other. Manifestly theair-chamber formed by the lower portion of the casing C is notabsolutely essential, as the compressed-air cham- ICC ber C may be soconstructed as to be sufficiently buoyant of itself. A cover C is fittedto the upper port-ion of the case C or to the exterior of thecompressed-air chamber 0 and forms a chamber 0. A tube 0 communicateswith the chamber 0, and a cover or thimble closed at its upper end, isplaced over the projecting tube 0'. The cover or thimble c has lateralopenings 0 below the plane of the upper opening of the tube 0. By thisconstruction air is admitted or allowed to escape from the chamber a,but wa ter is prevented from entering said chamber except when requiredto release the valve hereinafter described. D is a tube leading from thecompressed-air chamber 0 and having a flexible connect-ion with theinflatable parts I3. The passage of air through this tube D iscontrolled by a valve A, having a lever A extending. therefrom, which inthis example is shown as having a spring d connected to it, the otherend of the spring being connected to a fixed part of the chamber O. Inthis example the valve A is held closed against the action of the spring0? by means of a ligament D, connecting a lug cl, extending from thelever A, with alug (Z extending from the outer surface of the chamber C.The material of the ligament is of such anature that its strength isweakened or reduced when the materialis brought in contact with water.This weakening may arise from a more or less complete solution of thematerial in the water, or it mayresult simply from a wetting of thematerial, rendering the same less tenacious. I have found that thinpaper, for instance, tissue-paper, forms a very satisfactory ligament,the requisite strength being gained by passing the same a number oftimes back and forth between and around the connected lugs. Obviouslywhen this ligament D becomes dissolved or sufflciently weakened by theaction of the water the spring cl will force the lever A to a positionto open the valve A, as shown in dotted line in Fig. 4, thus allowingthe escape of compressed air or gas from the chamber 0 to the inflatableparts. To allow water to reach the ligament D when the chamber 0 issubmerged in the water, I provide a pipe D which extends from thechamber 0 through the chamber formed by the casing O and having anoutward opening. lVhile this device is floating in the form of a buoy,the air in the chamber 0 will prevent the entrance of the water throughthe pipe D but when the device is drawn beneath the Water by the personsinking the water will rush through the pipe D fill the chamber 0, anddissolve or weaken the ligament D, thus automaticallyinflating the partsB, which will cause the person to rise to the surface. In this device,if desired, a cord may be attached to the casin g C or other part of thedevice and extended to the swimmer, so that he may, if he desires, drawthe device under water for the purpose of inflating the parts B, whichhewears.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a life-preserver,the combination with an inflatable part, of a chamber for containingcompressed air or gas, a communication between said chamber andinflatable part, a valve for controlling said communication, and amaterial soluble in water, for holding said valve in a closed position,substantially as specified.

2. Ina life-preserver, the combination with an inflatable part or parts,of a chamber or reservoir for containing compressed air or gas, a tubeforming a communication between said inflatable part or parts'and saidchamber, a valve in said tube, a spring for operating said valve, and apart soluble in water for holding said spring in an operative position,substantially as specified.

3. Inalife-preserver, the combination with an inflatable part or parts,of achamber or reservoir for containing compressed air or gas, a tubeforming a communication between said inflatable part or parts and saidchamber or reservoir, a valve in said tube, a lever extending from saidvalve, a spring in contact with said lever, and a part or elementsoluble in water for holding said lever and spring in an operativeposition, substantially as specified.

4. In alife-prcserver, the combination with an inflatable part, achamber or reservoir for containing com pressed air or gas, havingcommunication with said inflatable part, a casing forming an air-chamberfor supporting the compressed-air chamber in water, a valve forcontrolling the passage of air or gas from the compressed-air or gaschamber to the inflatable part and means, consisting of a materialsoluble in water, for holding said valve closed and releasing said valveafter said material shall have been dissolved or weakened sufficientlyto break, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS GORDON. 'itnesses:

CLARENCE R. FERGUSON, WVM. A. PoLLooK.

